The Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK) has written to the government urging immediate action to protect NHS patients and staff during extreme heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It follows a DAUK survey during June\u2019s record-breaking heatwave which found reports of dangerously high temperatures, staff being ill at work, and disruption to patient care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now DAUK has written to health secretary James Murray to share the findings and call for urgent action, including a maximum safe working temperature for hospitals and GP surgeries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It comes as temperatures are forecast to climb above 30C this next week, raising concerns staff and patients could again face unsafe conditions<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Matt Lee, DAUK\u2019s sustainability lead, said: \u201cAs the country prepares for yet another heatwave, healthcare professionals across the country will again face brutal working conditions and patients will be at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is the latest baseline of extreme weather events which will only continue to worsen as greenhouse gas emissions rise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe urge the government to introduce a maximum working temperature and invest in hospital infrastructure to make our healthcare facilities safe for staff and patients.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The survey found:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among 367 reported indoor temperatures, the median was 33C, with temperatures reaching as high as 45C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More than 1,100 doctors and healthcare workers responded to DAUK\u2019s rapid survey. Respondents described patients developing dehydration and heat exhaustion, operations being disrupted, staff collapsing at work, and clinical decision-making becoming more difficult in the heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One respondent said: \u201cA nurse collapsed on the ward, everyone is working with wet pads or gloves filled with water on their necks… all the lights on some wards have been turned off to keep it cool.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another wrote: \u201cBurning hot while having to make vital decisions about the care of very vulnerable and clinically unstable patients. Doing CPR in a poorly ventilated room was almost impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A clinician working in emergency care said: \u201cI can no longer care for patients safely. Septic patients are left in corridors with ambient temperatures of 33 degrees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another respondent said: \u201cWe have patients brought in due to severe heat stroke who are not able to be treated appropriately because there is nowhere cool to put them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One wrote: \u201cOld hospital heating still on full blast as unable to turn old radiators down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In its letter to the Health Secretary, DAUK said the NHS remains poorly adapted to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme heat driven by climate change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DAUK is calling for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Lee added that heatwaves should now be treated as a patient safety issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said: \u201cThe experiences shared by healthcare workers make clear that extreme heat is already affecting patient care, staff wellbeing and the safe running of NHS services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWithout urgent action, these harms will become more frequent as temperatures continue to rise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read the letter to health secretary James Murray<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Download the report of the survey’s findings<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read themed responses to the survey<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We are a non-profit campaigning and lobbying organisation led by frontline doctors, for frontline doctors. We are volunteers and our collective aim is to give frontline workers a voice to be heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPhoto: Jason Reid<\/a> on Pexels<\/a>.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n